What to do in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
When some people saw on my Facebook and Instagram that I was in Neum, the only beach town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they asked me what I was doing there. A friend of mine from Tuzla in Bosnia said there’s nothing to do. One of my followers from Slovakia told me he heard the town is pretty old and not very interesting to visit. That’s why I decided to write this post and give you my opinion of Neum. I’d like to describe more of what I did there and give you some ideas about what to do in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina.
strolling around Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
pebble beach Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
Things to do in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
When I was looking for information about Neum before my visit, there was not much online. I saw some beach and coastline photos but not much more. But I didn’t think twice about paying a visit. It seemed quite cheap, quiet and it had access to a beach. To be honest, after a few months without a beach it was all I needed. Sea water and light breeze playing with my hair, here I come!
Neum is a small town with approx. 4,000 to 5,000 inhabitants. It’s the only town located on the 20 km of Bosnia and Herzegovina coastline. Right, the Croatian coast is divided into 2 parts, with 20 km of the Bosnian coastline inserted in between the Croatian coastline.
poppy in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
sunbathing in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
yoga – pigeon asana
My Neum stay
I took a bus from Sarajevo to Neum and then spent 5 nights in Neum. My initial plan was just 4 nights in Neum but it was cold and raining in Sarajevo so I left Sarajevo a night earlier and extended my Neum stay instead.
5 nights in Neum might seem too much to some of you. And yes, I admit that there’s not that much to do, but relaxing on the beach or hiking along the coast.
I went to Neum to regain my energy on the beach and enjoy the sea water. I did not want to spend days exploring dozens of new attractions, as I did in Sarajevo before, and in Mostar after Neum.
My plan was to get to know Neum, walk a bit around to reach 10,000 steps every day, and then just spend the rest of the day on the beach. I said yes to sunbathing and enjoying the benefits of the sea water on my skin. Alone. I needed my ”me time” again without talking to other people. Just contemplating about my life, getting deeper into my thoughts or listening to meditative music.
palm trees in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
Neum has a few small beaches spread along almost 6 km of coastline. They look very similar to the Croatian beaches with crystal clear water and pebbles. No proper sand beach, of course. Some beaches have sea urchins and bigger spiky stones, others are safer and more comfortable to walk even without water shoes.
When I visited Neum in June 2019, all the beaches were public and for free. But I guess the hotels do charge for using the sunbeds during the high season (summer) and at weekends. I am not sure about it though as I haven’t seen anyone charging for the sunbeds but I was there just before the high season started. I did not have to pay to lie down on my towel on the pebbles. Maybe it sounds weird that I mention it here but a year ago in Montenegro we had to pay even for putting towels on the pebbles (NOT sunbeds) on some beaches around Budva.
The first 2 days of my trip the weather was not beach perfect. It was around 20 Celsius only and rather windy. But that was ideal weather for hiking so I walked along the whole coast up and down to reach my daily 10,000 steps. I really recommend you to stroll from one side of Neum to the other along the coast. The views are spectacular and you will also burn some calories! Win-win.
My last 3 days in Neum were warmer, maybe even too hot. The temperature reached 30 to 33 Celsius degrees so I chilled out on the beach and by the swimming pool in the morning and late afternoon. Around lunch time I was watching movies or chilling in my apartment. Then for sunset I went back to the beach and did yoga and meditation on big rocks overlooking the sun.
sunset in Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
Things to keep in mind about Neum:
- Neum in Bosnia is cheaper than beach towns in Croatia.
- There’s Konzum super market and a few smaller markets where you can buy food etc. Neum also offers many restaurants but to find healthy vegan meals was not very easy.
- There’s no proper bus station, only a bus stop next to the Konzum on the main road.
- I haven’t found any exchange office but you can withdraw money at the ATM at the bank on the beach.
- The town has steep hills, curvy roads and many stairs for pedestrians.
- There’s a Roman Catholic church but not many other attractions.
- Yes, many buildings in Neum are old and not taken a good care of. But it makes the town more charming (or at least to me, as I am a ruin lover). On the other hand it’s a shame as the town has a big potential to become even more popular. I mean, if more buildings were renewed and used as accommodation or restaurants, more tourists would come.
- I’d say that it’s a good place for solo travelers, couples and families who are looking for a chill beach destination. Everyone can find a beach in Neum that they will like.
- There’s not many adventurous things to do, but some water sports.
- I found Neum to be a very safe destination to visit. No religion problems, no drama, no street violence, no robery. Personally, I have not noticed anything like that. But I did spot a couple of police cars driving around every day.
Roman Catholic church Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
TIP 1: Beside Neum, I spent another 5 days in Sarajevo and Mostar. If you’re interested to find out more about how much I spent in 10 days in Bosnia, check out my article. I divided my expenses there into a few categories, such as food, accommodation and transportation. So if you are thinking of visiting Bosnia, you will get a better idea of how budget friendly it is.
TIP 2: Before you start planning your Bosnia visit, here’s 3 things that you should know about Bosnia and Herzegovina. Knowing those things will make your planning easier.
TIP 3: You can find more of my Neum photos in Neum photo album :)
sunset time Neum Bosnia and Herzegovina
Why of my photos from Neum that I published on Instagram:
Pozrite si tento príspevok na Instagrame
Have you heard of Neum before? Or have you been there already? Share your experience in the comments below.
Amish Agarwal
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Great detailed article. I am planning my trip to BiH soon, and Neum could be a possible destination besides mostar and sarajevo.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Great! I enjoyed Neum even though there is not that much to do :)